


three and a half legs

by buckleydiaz



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Amputation, Amputee TK, Carlos is a firefighter not a cop, Firefighter, Good Parent Owen Strand, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Medical Inaccuracies, Mentions of Cancer, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, TK Centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:14:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29100114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckleydiaz/pseuds/buckleydiaz
Summary: TK Strand, a recent amputee, is now left unemployed in a new city back under his father's roof. In the span of three months everything changed for Tyler.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Owen Strand & TK Strand
Comments: 14
Kudos: 97





	1. New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Just for reference Carlos is not a police officer, he is a firefighter at the 126.
> 
> TW: Drug Use/Overdose

Owen Strand originally doe not want to move to Texas. He doesn't want to leave his son behind. He can't leave his son behind. Especially now, TK is 9 weeks post-op from his amputation of his left leg and he is struggling to adjust. It seems like all TK does is sleep, go to doctors appointments, and sleep. He's constantly being babysat by his father or his boyfriend Alex. Ex-boyfriend.

At the end of Owen's shift he stops by TK's apartment to provide some relief for Alex. After TK's tragic accident Owen and Alex adjusted to a schedule to make sure someone is always with TK. Owen would work night shifts so he can stay with TK while Alex worked in the day time. 

Now 8:00 AM, right on schedule, Owen enters TK's apartment. "Alex?" He calls out and never receives an answer. Assuming Alex left early for work Owen enters the bedroom to find the bed empty and the attached bathroom door closed. "TK!" Owen yells as he knocks on the bathroom door. He hears something but it is way too faint to listen. "TK open the door!" Without hesitation his firefighter instincts kick in and throws his whole body into the door. 

As the door opens Owen see TK sitting against the wall with tears streaming down his face, and a half empty pill bottle in his hand. 

"I'm so sorry," TK whimpers as Owen joins him on the floor. He gently takes the bottle out of his son's hands.

"TK, how many did you take?"

"I don't know, I don't know, at least five or six," TK stutters as he continues to cry and shake in fear. 

"It's okay Tyler, you're going to be fine," Owen reassures him as he takes out his phone to dial 9-1-1. 

A few hours later they are still at the hospital. Owen sits alone in the waiting room while TK is in his room speaking to someone from the psych ward. Owen took time to think and decided to reach out to the associate from the Austin Fire Department and reconsider his offer. He needs to think about his son and right now his son needs something new. 

It didn't take much convincing to get TK to Texas. Before they knew it they drove thirty hours to an unfamiliar city. The long car ride consisted of TK researching new firefighters for Owen's station. TK kept in mind that it doesn't even matter to him because he wouldn't be working with them anytime soon. Owen promised TK a job when he got back on his feet but now it feels like something he just says. 

The 126 Station was severely outdated, compared to Manhattan. But, it's also been unoccupied for the few months. Flowers, pictures, and memorials all around the station made the Strands' feel like intruders, they are the intruders. "Dad, tell them you change your mind. We don't belong here," TK says as they explore the abandoned station. 

"We were invited here."

"They're not even ready to get rid of the dead flowers outside. How would they be ready for some city slicker to come here and tell them how they're living life wrong," TK continues.

"City slicker?"

"You know, an outsider?"

"Well sometimes it takes a couple of outsiders," Owen begins, "I think we can really turn this station around."

"We? I'm not really gonna be apart of this. I'm not even gonna be able to work here."

"You are still going to be a part of this," Owen's reassurance always helps TK realize that even though everything changed he's still a part of something. Owen walks around the building inspecting every detail and gaining ideas on how to remodel while TK stands on his crutches listening to his design rants.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First Chapter! I know it's short but it will get better and longer (I promise)   
> Comments are appreciated.


	2. House Hunting and Interviews

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Owen and TK look at their new house. TK meets Carlos.

The first week was jam packed with uneventful things. Such as interviews, house hunting, and remodeling the station. TK stayed in the shadows while his father was busy. He would stay in the hotel as long as he could until his father dragged him out. Owen thought it was important TK was involved with everything, if the accident never happened TK would be involved. Owen gave TK the responsibility of looking for houses, seems easy, except Owen had tough criteria.

_Owen's requirements:_

_-wheelchair accessible_

_-updated_

_-within 15 minutes from the station_

_-natural light_

_-two car garage_

_-near the city_

_-no traffic noise_

_-fenced in back yard_

_-must have a wine cellar_

_-all white kitchen_

and no Owen would not negotiate. 

It kept TK busy, he looked on Zillow, called realtors, all when his father was taking care of the station. His mind was occupied. For a few hours everyday he wasn't thinking about Alex or about the constant pain in his leg that isn't even there. Most importantly, he wasn't thinking about drugs. 

TK struggled with drugs since he was 17. It was something that would only happen at high school parties but then it happened more frequently when one of his coworkers offered to be his dealer. After similar events Owen finally checked him into rehab and he's been sober for two years. 

Well, now it's nine days and counting. 

TK lined up the perfect house. They met up with the realtor at the house and Owen already found some flaws. "There's stairs," Owen says referring to the two steps to get up to the porch.

"The door around the back doesn't have stairs," TK responded. They walk around to the back door that led them directly into the kitchen where the realtor stands waiting. 

"Welcome, it's four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, two bedrooms on the first floor and two upstairs. Newly renovat-" Owen interrupts her.

"No I don't like the floors, and it's too far from the station," he says.

"Dad, it's ten minutes from the station."

"Twenty with traffic."

"It's the perfect house. Has almost everything you want."

"Fine. This is the perfect house. I'll put down an offer," Owen finishes. He knows if TK likes the house this much it has good potential. 

They talk to the realtor and give her their offer and go back to the station because they have interviews lined up for the rest of the day. Everyone they met with were interesting and great firefighters. Marjan went viral after one of her rescues and it's amazing Owen was able to convince her to join them at the 126. Mateo, the newbie, finally is getting his chance to be a firefighter. And Paul came from Chicago where he was an extraordinary firefighter. And then there was Carlos. 

Carlos really stood out to TK. He's a Texas native, originally a firefighter from San Antonio. He has four sisters and two of them live in Austin, which encouraged him to move. Carlos didn't have any outstanding qualities as a firefighter. But TK fell in awe with Carlos. His looks, his personality, just listening to Carlos talk made him smile.

Of course Owen noticed TK's mood changing around Carlos. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are appreciated.


	3. Doctors, and doctors, and more doctors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TK gets fitted with his prosthesis.

Today's the day. TK is finally meeting with his physical therapist and his prosthetist. He hasn't done much research on prosthetics and to be honest he doesn't really care. As long as it gets the job done it doesn't really matter to him. Owen, on the other hand, did tons of research. He knows exactly what prosthetic he needs if he ever wants to be a firefighter again and he picked the physical therapist that specializes in that matter. 

They first meet with the prosthetist, Dr. Marsh, where they sit in his office as he shows them the different prosthetics and their function. "TK, your father told me that you were interested in going back in the firefighting field?" The doctor asks TK.

"Uh-" TK begins to respond before being interrupted by his father. 

"Yeah I uh read that he should have," Owen starts to say as he takes out a note from his pocket, "a microprocessor knee joint." Dr. Marsh glimpse back at TK before looking back at Owen.

"Yes, so those can give the best mobility and overall it is one of the better knee joints, however, it's difficult to learn and requires a lot more physical therapy than one of the more basic knee joints. But if you did want to be a firefighter again TK, I think the microprocessor is a good fit."

"Great, so how do we get started on that process?" Owen asks. TK sits next to his father in silence. He doesn't bother asking any questions because Owen has concerns and knows what needs to be asked.

"Okay so I have a few more routine questions for TK, is your other leg healthy?" Dr. Marsh asks TK.

"Not really." TK responds quickly and quietly.

And of course Owen takes over, "It's healing, it was also injured in the accident but not to bad and the doctors in New York said it should be fine in about four weeks."

Dr. Marsh jots that down on a piece of paper, "On a scale of 1 to 10 how much pain is that leg in?"

"Um like a five right now," TK isn't lying. Right now the pain isn't too bad but when he is walking with the crutches and puts weight on it the pain is typically at an eight or nine.

"And how much pain is your residual limb in?" 

"I don't know probably a seven," TK responds. This time he is lying. His residual limb is always at like an eleven but he knows if he wants to get on a prosthetic soon he may have to lie a little.

"Alright that's good to know. If you would like we can fit you in right now to get fitted and take measurements. It will take about two hours if you don't mind waiting."

"Perfect. Let's do it." Owen says. He helps TK stand up and get situated on his crutches before they follow Dr. Marsh into a different room. It's larger but still small. There's a few seats on the outside of the room and a small desk with a computer in the corner. The center of the room is two dance like bars about two feet apart from eachother. Sitting at the desk is another man, older than Dr. Marsh, probably around Owen's age. He introduces himself as Dr. Christopher Garfield.

"Alright Captain Strand, we just ask that you wait in the waiting room." Owen nods and says goodbye to TK. TK is now left in a room with two strangers. First they have him sit in a chair and take measurements of his remaining leg and his residual limb. Takes the two doctors about 30 minutes before they ask him to stand up.

"At any moment u need to sit down just tell us," Dr. Garfield says. TK stands up and he holds on to the two bars, like something you'd see in a dance studio. They repeat the same process of measuring his remaining leg and the size of the 'stump'. The standing puts strain on TK's shoulder that was also hurt in the accident.

_When TK first woke up in the hospital after spending a week in a medically induced coma, his left arm was in a sling, his right ankle in a cast, and his left leg was completely gone. He saw doctor after doctor and psychiatrist after psychiatrist but all he really wanted to do was go back into that coma. It was peaceful._

_The first few weeks after discharged TK was wheelchair bound. He couldn't put any weight on his right leg to make it anywhere. He would stay in bed most of the day watching boring cable, he barely ate anything at first, and he got angry at anyone trying to help him. Alex, tried to help him but TK wouldn't let him. TK doesn't blame Alex for breaking up with him but he's surprised it took Alex so long._

He's better now. The move was good for him. He's smiling at least once a day, he gets out of bed on most days, and he is actually working towards his recovery. But it's hard. Somedays he spends the whole day in bed, not because he feels helpless or because he's too sad, its because he's tired and in so much pain his brain doesn't work. The pain worse now than it was right after the surgery, Owen tries to limit the opioids TK takes so he doesn't get hooked again. But TK tried not taking them right after his overdose and the pain was too much for one person to handle. 

Time goes by pretty slow and by the time its over TK is exhausted. The doctors told him in about a week he will have his temporary prosthetic that he can start walking on but the super high end one his father wants will take about eight weeks. Honestly TK is fine with the basic prosthetic, he doesn't care much about being a firefighter anymore. Why would he want to go back to the job that almost killed him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be a Tarlos chapter!  
> comments are appreciated.


	4. Baseball?

The second TK gets in the car he almost crashes. He's exhausted and it is only 2:00 pm. "I need to go to the station for a few hours," Owen starts.

"Can you just take me home. I'm really tired."

"Why don't you just sleep at the station and I'll wake you up for dinner?" He finishes and TK agrees and they head to the station.

It's the middle of a shift and everyone is busy with maintaining trucks and cleaning, the parts of the job TK doesn't miss. Owen helps TK out of the car and into the wheelchair and takes him to he bunks so he can sleep and then goes back to work. TK manages to get sleep up until when the bell rang and he heard the whole team shuffling away. 

TK doesn't even knows how long he's been asleep when he wakes up in excruciating pain. His head shoots up almost hitting the bunk above as he attempts to grab the leg that isn't there. He reaches for the 'stump' and begins to massage it when the door bursts open.

"Oh sorry I didn't realize you were in here," Carlos began, "are you okay?" 

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Do you know where my dad is?" TK asks avoiding eye contact.

"He's in a meeting with the chief, I can go get him."

"No, no I don't want to bother him."

"Are you sure? He's jus-" Carlos begins.

"No, I'm fine I just need a minute," TK interrupts. Carlos continues to stand in the doorway as he watches TK wince every few seconds.

"Do you need anything? Water, or your dad?"

"Um, I don't know if my dad brought my meds but-"

Carlos interrupts, "I can go ask him," he says and TK nods his head in response.

Captain Strand is sitting in his office reviewing papers with the fire chief of Austin when Carlos knocks on the door, "sorry to interrupt but TK was just asking-" Carlos doesn't get to finish as Owen stands up and excuses himself to the chief and heads right into the bunks where TK was. 

"Hey, you okay?" Owen says as he bursts into the bunks.

"Yeah, I just wanted to know if you had my meds,"

"No I left them at home I didn't think this meeting would take this long," Owen starts, "I'm gonna try to reschedule the rest of the meeting so I can take you home." He hurries out of the room back to his office where the chief is waiting for him.

"Strand, I don't have all day." The chief says as he enters the room.

"Perfect, can we finish this tomorrow?"

"No. I only need about 30 more minutes."

"I gotta take my son home."

"Captain, we are finishing this right now." Chief says firmly. Owen heads back to tell TK but Carlos decides to offer to take him home instead. 

The short car ride was awkward at first. Before today the two only exchanged a few sentences here and there and never fully had a conversation. "So are you liking Texas so far?" Carlos asks breaking the ice.

"The weather is nice but I don't know it's kinda boring."

"Well you haven't seen the best part."

"What's the best part?" TK asks.

"A Texas Rangers game." 

"I'm more of a yankee's fan."

"That'll change," Carlos starts, "once your drunk in a bar watching the yankees lose, you will definitely be a rangers fan."

"I don't think that'll happen anytime soon," Tk says referring to the drunk part not the rangers part. TK liked being with Carlos it was comfortable. TK could let his guard down a little, his guard hasn't been down since Alex.

"So what does TK stand for? Ive been dying to know." 

"I don't tell anyone that, or at least not until like the 30th date."

"So thirty? I can wait til thirty." Carlos responds with a smirk on his face. They're short car ride eventually came to an end. He doesn't know if this counts as date number one but he can definitely do 29 more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short filler chapter for Tarlos.  
> Comments are appreciated.


	5. The Accident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashback to TK's Accident in New York.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated in a few weeks. Hope this makes up for it. Some medical inaccuracies.

It was a quiet shift, the crew was just hanging out in the kitchen and cooking their meal hoping to not be interrupted. Owen was telling his crew about the weirdest NYC calls him and TK used to have and how much he doesn't miss it. The story ends when his phone rings and he steps out of the room to answer TK.

"So does anyone know what happened to TK?" Mateo asks after Owen steps out. They all shake their head.

"All I know is it happened while he was working," Judd replies.

"I've never wanted ask, I drove him home the other day and I started to create theories on what happened. TK obviously doesn't want to talk about-" Carlos starts before he notices Owen is standing right behind him. 

"Yeah TK doesn't like to talk about it but you guys could've asked me." Owen starts the story.

_It was a wintery day in New York, nothing special. They get a call to the subway station near their firehouse so they don't even bother with the trucks, only the ambulance. The team of three firefighters, two paramedics, and Captain Strand run to the station making it their in less than two minutes. One middle aged man had a seizure and had fallen right onto the tracks. Lucky for him no train was coming right away. TK and another firefighter jump down to assess his injuries before handing him to the paramedics._

_"Okay let's be quick before the next train comes," Owen says looking at the clock seeing they have about two minutes to get him off the tracks. His head was bleeding almost profusely. TK and the other fireman started to assess the bleeding but the sound of the train in the distance rings in everyones ear._

_"Okay get out of there now!" Owen yells. They hand the patient over before TK helped his coworker up. Now it was his turn but the train was approaching fast. He jumps up and his fellow firefighters grab his arms and tried to pull him out as fast as they could. They got him but his left leg was striked by the train. His coworkers pulled him out so fast his shoulder was dislocated. By the time everyone processed what happened TK passed out from the blood loss. "TK!" Owen yells as he rushes over to the other firefighters who were working on his son. TK's leg was holding on by a thread."_

"It all happened so fast." Owen continues the story, "It was no surprise when the surgeon told us they decided to amputate."

Everyone's face froze. Carlos looked broken. He wished he never asked because he saw the pain on his captain's face while telling that story. 

"Yeah, so nobody talk about trains around him," Owen finishes breaking the silence. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might change some small details in previous chapters because I changed the accident. Sorry for the super short chapter I plan on posting the next one soon.


End file.
